Processing times
As universities across Canada begin a new academic year, thousands of international students are still waiting to hear about their study permits.
Canada is still processing 163,600 study permits for international post-secondary students as of August 18th, which means those international students’ studies may be delayed by weeks, if not months. With such a delay, integral first classes and campus welcome weeks might be missed, not to mention arranging for new flights to Canada or losing out on rent that has already been paid to secure housing.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) quotes the general processing time for a study permit application made from outside Canada as 12 weeks. Applicants should note though that this processing time does not include the time it takes to send an application between a visa application centre (VAC) and IRCC’s office, as well as the time an applicant needs to give biometrics.
In rare cases, some students say the processing time for their application has taken much longer, citing months’ worth of processing time to even over a year.
Why Canada?
Despite these delays and issues, prospective students from across the world are still choosing Canada as a place for post-secondary education. Common reasons cited are the stability and safety of Canada, the quality of education, the possibility of post-graduate work and life experience, and historical community ties to Canada.
If you are looking to study in Canada, make sure that you begin preparing well in advance of your planned start date. Keep in mind that the processing times do not take into account the full application preparation process – IRCC’s processing time starts the day IRCC receives your complete application and ends when they make a decision. As seen by some stories, processing times may vary from case to case.
Once you have your permit, make sure the information on it is correct, and always follow the requirements of your study permit, especially pertaining to part-time work.
If you have questions about your plans to study in Canada, your current study permit, or your post-graduate path towards permanent residency, take our free assessment here or contact us via email at info@canadianvisaspecialists.com.
About us
Canadian Visa Specialists is a professional and ethical organisation that was established to provide prompt and professional assistance to people throughout the world who wish to migrate to Canada. We have been helping people come to Canada for twenty years, and we can help you with personal or corporate migration to Canada.
Contact us at info@canadianvisaspecialists.com. Visit our website at www.canadianvisaspecialists.com. You can also follow us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
